Former FGCU star Sarah Hansen signs in Finland

(via Captive Photons)

Former Florida Gulf Coast women's basketball star Sarah Hansen signed her first pro contract on Sunday when she inked a deal with Forssan Alku in Finland.

Forsann competes in the Naisten Korisliiga, the highest tier of women's basketball in Finland, and has won a record tying eight championships since the league's inception in 1944. However, they are currently 1-7 on the year. Hansen informed the FGCU Eagles Nest that Forsann is not happy with their season and is bringing in a whole new team and coaching staff.

"I recently signed with a new agent. She knew the new coach from previous contracts," said Sarah Hansen. "He liked the way that I played and everything. It all pretty much came from there."

"Hopefully we can win more games...1-7 is not exactly the best," Hansen continued. "I obviously don't know much about the team or playing overseas so initially, I just want to contribute in ways that they need me to."

Hansen will look to carry over the tremendous success from her senior year. She averaged 13.6 points and 7.1 rebounds a game en route to being named the Atlantic Sun Player of the Year for the second season in a row. The Eagles captured the Atlantic Sun title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament as she was inducted into the FGCU Hall of Fame.

"Florida Gulf Coast made me into a significantly better ball player. Coach Smesko is one of the most amazing coaches I've ever come across," Hansen said.

That was just the final season in her tremendous collegiate career, in which she finished as the Eagles' all time leader in points, field goals made, rebounds, steals, games started, and minutes. After redshirting her freshman year, she landed on the Atlantic Sun All-Conference 1st team and earned a plethora of other awards as a sophomore and junior.

"When I came into FGCU, I redshirted. I wasn't good enough to be on the court. I was basically a practice player," Hansen said. "In my five years, I grew a lot as a player, intelligence wise and talent wise. It completely changed my game and changed me as a player."

The McKean, Pa. native flies to Finland on either Nov. 18 or 19 to continue her baksetball career. She will be joining former Eagle Brittany Kennedy, who spent the 2013-14 season with Saarlouis Royals (Germany), in the professional ranks.

"I've talked to some coaches and Brittany Kennedy. There's less physicality overseas than here. That's going to be a big change - it will be a lot more finesse and things like that," Hansen said.